Further symptoms in my CD diagnosed 4 year old.

My son was diagnosed with CD just over a year ago & very quickly improved upon his diet change. However in the last few months a few symptoms have crept back: occasional blood with stools & thrush around his back passage, heartburn & a sore rash around his mouth.

His Father was also diagnosed at the same time and has gone on to find he cannot currently handle dairy, so my obvious suspect is dairy but it's hard to tie symptoms down, I have a niggling suspicion my son reports heartburn more frequently than it occurs as he likes the 'Tum' tablets and the rash & bowel are more accumulate symptoms.

My question is whether to ask the GP for a referral for food allergy testing, is that a waste of time? I'm loathe to cut dairy from his diet when he's just catching up on growth stunted from the gluten period.

Thank you.

4 comments

misselaineneous

20 Feb 2013

PS: I should say that I don't want to cut dairy out on a hunch, rather that it was medically directed.

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Penel

20 Feb 2013

It's definitely a good idea to go back to your gp and talk about your son's symptoms. Coeliacs are often advised to give up dairy when first diagnosed, because damaged villi can't handle lactose.
After I went gf some years ago I gave up bread altogether, when I started eating it again I developed thrush and realised I could not tolerate yeast. I found that I had to be careful with "mouldy" food like mushrooms and avoid products with xantham gum. I'm not saying that this is your son's problem, but blood in the stools always needs checking out.
Hope you can get your son back to full health soon. It's always such a worry when children are poorly.

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coeliacvegan

20 Feb 2013

I'd definitely agree with Penel and would go back to the doctor to get your son checked. It does sound like dairy is the likeliest culprit, but as you say, you don't want to further restrict his diet unless absolutely necessary.
Incidentally, if you do find that your son is intolerant to dairy products, don't worry about their removal affecting his growth. On the contrary, he is more likely to flourish when he is eating a diet free from foods to which he is intolerant.
When you consider that humans are the only mammals that consume milk beyond babyhood, it stands to reason that it isn't a dietary essential. In fact, most of us lack the enzyme to digest milk sugar, it's just that we often aren't aware of it. And in any case, coeliac children (and adults!) who cut out dalry sometimes find they can reintroduce it at a later date, when their systems have more fully recovered.
I do hope you manage to work out what what the problem is with you son, and that he is soon feeling better. It sounds like a horrible situation for all of you.

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littlenell

20 Feb 2013

Hi it might be lactose intorlerance and not dairy, you can get Lactose free milk, and some dairy foods are low lactose. Coeliac Uk have a info sheet on it that gives a brief explination.
Your GP might be able to arrange a test or it might be the hospital you''d need to approach.
hope he gets sorted soon.

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